Authenticity

Upon hearing from eighteen different voices in a highschool classroom, one observation stood out to 

me most. When Wesley catches Sheila trying to walk like Porscha, he pulls her aside and tells her to be 

herself– which just so happens to be one of the main messages of the book. He, quite profoundly, says to 

her, “‘you want to hang with brothas and sistas, it ain’t no big thing. Just don’t try to be them… Soon as 

you get out of here, you’re going to go to a college or get a job where everybody else is as blond and blue-

eyed as you. They walk like you and talk like you. What’re you going to do, then? Change yourself 

back?’” (135). From this excerpt, at least two conclusions can be drawn: 1. Mr. Ward’s implementation of 

Open Mike Fridays allowed this group of students, a majority of them black or brown, to be their 

authentic selves in a professional setting, which is a chance they most likely will not have again, and 2. 

You may fit in, but you are never authentically yourself if you are trying to be someone or something you 

are not. 
    Although their high school is very diverse with the majority of students being of color, this is not an 

accurate reflection of many colleges and universities, or most professions. These students will– and some 

already do– feel themselves being stifled, and may be forced to conform to white standards of 

professionalism if they wish to succeed. Mr. Ward gives them a loving, supportive, and safe environment 

to embrace their true selves in which they will not be judged or ridiculed for the way they speak or the 

experiences they have gone through. In the future, it is likely that they will look back on this school year 

and be reminded that they are intelligent and so much more than people assume them to be. 
    As for Sheila, she states how uncomfortable and unnatural Porscha’s walk feels for her to attempt. 

Wesley even comments that the walk makes her look rather funny. When these students try to be someone 

they are not, it does not work; it is awkward and clunky like Sheila’s walk. The same goes for us. We are 

our best selves, our most beautiful selves, and our most effervescent selves when we shed society’s 

expectation that we must fit into certain boxes and just be who we are. 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Why Ban Bronx Masquerade?

As I was reading Nikki Grimes’ Bronx Masquerade, I could not figure out why this book was banned. While I am vehemently against the idea of banning books as a whole, usually I can at least identify why some parties want to censor certain stories. I understand why The Color Purple was banned by conservative forces for its depiction of sexual assault and homosexuality even if I believe that those things have no right to be censored by interest groups with no connection to those experiences. Bronx Masquerade perplexed me, however, as most of its more mature themes are in the background. It did not linger on some of these heavy topics in a way that I thought could lend some to censor it. The bulk of the story explores the writings of Mr. Ward’s students. While many have tragic backgrounds that deal with heavy topics, they are all referenced and referred to in the past tense. None of these darker ideas are lingered on or shown in the present like in The Color Purple. For example, one of the...
Read more

Charlotte is Dead and Why That is Real

 Here is the first passage I read from my copy of George . It is the last statement of the FAQ (AOTAWTS). (It should be understood that Alex is talking explicitly as the author.) It is the last page of my copy before the About the Author section. I recommend reading all of this section. " I'm so glad I understand transgender people now. Okay. This isn't a question, but I'm adding it here anyway. George is only one story. It is the story of a white, middle-class transgender girl growing up near New York City, written by a white, middle-class genderqueer person who grew up on Staten Island, New York. Every transgender story is different, just as we are all different. Race, money, disability, and other realities further impact these differences . I will add that you don't need to understand someone to respect them, so while I'm glad you have a greater insight into Melissa's experience, I hope you also learned from Mom, Kelly, Scott, Jeff, Rick, Ms. Udell, amd...
Read more

Two Main Insights for CRT Dialogue

1. Banning books is a way to push the white supremacist agenda, as seen through the case in York, PA when they banned 270+ books about black and brown experiences. This was also demonstrated through the specific banning of The Hate U Give for reasons such as youth activism and revolution.  2. Keeping books on separate shelves makes people feel invalidated about their life experiences, whether that includes their sex, gender, race, or sexuality. This is especially prevalent for young minds that are not fully developed, because if they see themselves as "other," they will begin to believe it. 
Read more